Lilongwe (Fides Service) - "Only a profound change in Malawi's culture and behaviour can stop the spread of AIDS in this country" Jesuit missionary Father Dick Cremins told Fides Service. Fr Cremins, who has been working in Malawi for years , has taken to heart the struggle to wipe out the terrible viral disease. "The government has sponsored a plan which if applied properly could help to stop the advance of HIV/AIDS. One of the points of the plan is a change in sexual behaviour among married couples and unmarried youth. The plan advocates no sexual relations before marriage, fidelity to one partner in marriage and the use of the condom. Unfortunately emphasis is laid mainly on the latter. The local Catholic Church is backing a new NGO FAMLI which promotes the part of the government plan in keeping with Catholic teaching. FAMLI is a joint initiative of FASU a local charitable organisation and US organisation Maternal Life International which assists maternity in African countries. FAMLI aims to involve the laity, women in particular to create a network of educators to teach people to have respect for their body and to live sexuality with responsibility and dignity. The Aids Cultural Change Programme CCP was started in 6 parishes in the diocese of Lilongwe (the capital) and it involves also Christians of other denominations, no less than 18 groups. We hope to extend FAMLI to other parts of the country and to involve also Muslims and Hindus." See information in English at www.fides.org LM (Fides Service 17/2/2003 EM lines 18 Words: 265).